Hearty Ham and Macaroni Bake
Hearty Ham and Macaroni Bake layers tender elbow pasta with savory ham, sweet peas, and a rich, creamy cheese sauce. Each bite is balanced by a crunchy French-fried onion topping that adds texture and depth. It’s perfect for weeknight dinners or potlucks when you want comforting flavors that satisfy a crowd.
- Prep20 mins
- Cook40 mins
- Serves8
- DifficultyEasy
easyChef Pro health score
Calculated from USDA-referenced nutrient data for the ingredients in Hearty Ham and Macaroni Bake, not estimated by an AI model. The same recipe returns the same score every time.
- Glycemic ImpactFair
- 52 / 100
- Carb quality, not quantity. Higher is better.
- Nutritional DensityPoor
- 0.18 / 100
- Nutrients per calorie. Higher is better.
- Energy DensityFair
- 46 / 100
- Calories by weight. Higher means more food for fewer calories.
- NOVA Processed Culinary Ingredients
- 2 / 4
- Processing level, 1 (whole) to 4 (ultra-processed). Lower is better.
How it scores for each health goal
The same recipe scores differently against different goals, because the goal changes the calculation rather than filtering a list. Set your goal in easyChef Pro and every recipe is scored against it.
- 16
- Heart Health
- 67
- Metabolic
- 32
- Digestive
- 20
- Inflammatory
- 24
- Performance
- 29
- General Wellness
- 1
Gather all the ingredients.
- 2
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the macaroni in the boiling water, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until slightly firm, about 8 minutes; drain.
- 3
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
- 4
Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir the ham and the onion in the hot butter until the onion is tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook about 2 minutes more; remove the skillet from the heat.
- 5
Add the macaroni, Cheddar cheese, condensed soup, peas, milk, sour cream, onion powder, and garlic powder to the ham mixture in the skillet; stir until well combined.
- 6
Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish.
- 7
Bake in the preheated oven until the cheese is melted, about 25 minutes.
- 8
Sprinkle French-fried onions over the casserole and continue baking until golden, about 5 minutes more.
- Calories 680.69 kcal High 34%
- Protein 21.99 g Good Source 44%
- Carbohydrate 79.85 g 29%
- Total Fat 32.24 g High 41%
- Saturated Fat 11.65 g High 58%
- Trans Fat 0.0 g Low Source 0%
- Cholesterol 57.24 mg Moderate 19%
- Sodium 754.95 mg High 33%
- Dietary Fiber 4.35 g Moderate 16%
- Total Sugars 5.85 g --
- Added Sugars 0.0 g Low Source 0%
- Calcium 428.48 mg Good Source 33%
- Iron 3.12 mg Moderate 17%
- Potassium 369.87 mg Low Source 8%
- Vitamin A 69.17 mcg Low Source 8%
- Vitamin C 5.26 mg Low Source 6%
- Vitamin D 0.65 mcg Low Source 3%
Values are per serving. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet.
- Milk 🥛
- Wheat 🌾
- Gluten
- Celery
- Garlic 🧄
- Onions 🧅
About This Recipe
Hearty Ham and Macaroni Bake is made with 14 ingredients and serves 8. It takes about 1 hr and is rated easy. Key ingredients include Butter, Cooking Spray, Cream of Celery Soup, and Cubed Stuffing Bread. Each serving provides about 680.69 kcal, and is a good source of protein.
Recipe Questions
- What is Hearty Ham and Macaroni Bake made of?
- The main ingredients are Butter, Cooking Spray, Cream of Celery Soup, Cubed Stuffing Bread, Fried Onions. The full list of 14 is above.
- How long does it take to make Hearty Ham and Macaroni Bake?
- About 1 hr in total: 20 mins to prepare and 40 mins to cook.
- How many calories are in one serving?
- One serving provides about 680.69 kcal. The full nutrition breakdown is above.
- Is Hearty Ham and Macaroni Bake easy to make?
- This recipe is rated easy, with 14 ingredients and 8 steps.
- Is Hearty Ham and Macaroni Bake healthy?
- Hearty Ham and Macaroni Bake has an easyChef Pro health score of 35/100. Per serving, it provides 680.69 calories and 21.99 g of protein, or 44% of the Daily Value. It is a good source of calcium. Worth noting per serving: sodium at 754.95 mg (33% of the Daily Value) and saturated fat at 11.65 g (58% of the Daily Value). It contains Milk, Wheat, Gluten, Celery, Garlic and Onions, so it may not be suitable for people with those allergies or dietary restrictions. Whether it fits your goals depends on your complete meal plan and nutritional needs. Remix it in easyChef Pro to adjust the ingredients and generate fresh nutrition and scores.
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The calculation evaluates nutrients, calorie density, processing level, and how well the food supports your selected health goal. Protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals and other beneficial nutrients can strengthen the score. High amounts of sodium, saturated fat, added sugar and other nutrients may lower it.
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